1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information input device provided with a touch panel and a voice guidance function, an information input method, and an information input program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a vehicle-mounted input device has been known as an input device provided with a touch panel and a voice guidance function (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-3652). This vehicle-mounted input device is comprised of a touch panel display provided with a touch panel, a plurality of first switches provided on the touch panel, each for switching between conduction and non-conduction when touched with a contact pressure not lower than a first predetermined value, a second switch that is switched between conduction and non-conduction when touched with a contact pressure not lower than a second predetermined value larger than the first predetermined value, first voice guidance means for guiding the user operation by giving voice prompts on one of the first switches which has been touched with the contact pressure not lower than the first predetermined value, and second voice guidance means for guiding the user operation by giving voice prompts on the state of the device switched between ON and OFF states in accordance with switching of the second switch between conduction and non-conduction. According to this device, since voice guidance is performed when one of the first switches is touched with a contact pressure not lower than the first predetermined value, the user can perform the touch operation, i.e. operate the device by feel alone.
However, the above descried conventional input device suffers from the following problems:
When the user is visually handicapped, he/she cannot identify a location on the touch panel assigned to a key until voice prompts thereon are delivered, which makes it difficult for the user to use the input device. Particularly in the case of a device in which a display menu is frequently changed on a function-by-function basis, the user finds difficulty even in roughly memorizing the respective locations of keys, and hence it takes time to perform an input operation.
On the other hand, when the user is non-handicapped, the constant or frequent delivery of voice prompts might be annoying.